Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars • Hacker News Board

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#21

Post by leoedin » Fri, May 28, 2021, 8:29 AM UTC

Thomaschaaf wrote: post #9

"Beam" should be the default style instead of "marble".

I think if the goal is to be distinguishable, then only Beam (and maybe Bauhaus) meet that. To me at least, the different marbles are forgettable - if the goal of an avatar is to appear next to a name and help me realise it's the same person who also wrote that other post, or a different comment, or the OP, then they need to be individually distinct enough.

Beam definitely meets that criteria (there's nothing like faces to trigger your brain's distinguishing algorithm), and Bauhaus could do (although I'd add a few more colours into the mix, and maybe not use all of them in every avatar).

The rest really don't.

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#22

Post by nxpnsv » Fri, May 28, 2021, 8:32 AM UTC

lalokaya wrote: post #10

Very nice, great job! Here's another fun one: https://getavataaars.com/

I like robohash

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#23

Post by lcrz » Fri, May 28, 2021, 8:44 AM UTC

NohatCoder wrote: post #16

jacobmischka wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It creates SVGs using React[1], it would be nontrivial to support another view library with this design and if you're going to support only one at initial release React is probably the most popular bet. [1]: https://github.com/boringdesigners/boring-avatars/blob/maste...

But you could just write that generation in plain JavaScript, React is really just a syntax.

Because they like the syntax? Because it has a nice way of passing properties? Because you can work with pseudo-DOM elements?

It's all open source. If you want a vanilla js implementation go ahead.

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#24

Post by enlyth » Fri, May 28, 2021, 8:52 AM UTC

lcrz wrote: post #23

NohatCoder wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But you could just write that generation in plain JavaScript, React is really just a syntax.

Because they like the syntax? Because it has a nice way of passing properties? Because you can work with pseudo-DOM elements? It's all open source. If you want a vanilla js implementation go ahead.

I find it a bit sad that the most upvoted reaction to someone's cool little project they wanted to share is the classic HN misguided and overused response of 'React BAD'

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#25

Post by exdeve » Fri, May 28, 2021, 8:56 AM UTC

This would be very helpful library but the react is huge limitation.

Please remove react so more people could use it :)

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#26

Post by dspig » Fri, May 28, 2021, 9:06 AM UTC

Beam needs an "avoid Hitler" algorithm (no straight sloping hair?)

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#27

Post by nc » Fri, May 28, 2021, 9:21 AM UTC

Incredible work! I'd pay for additional packs and also for a list of artists to come up with custom ones. (was just looking for this the other day). Every B2B SaaS and consumer product on the planet either needs to pay an illustrator/designer to create these... or perhaps use your product? :)

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#28

Post by new_here » Fri, May 28, 2021, 9:26 AM UTC

Awesome work! I was wanting to build a library like this myself but you've executed it way better! You should try to build and charge for a web API for this to let communities auto-generate avatars for their new users.

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#29

Post by kashug » Fri, May 28, 2021, 9:33 AM UTC

exdeve wrote: post #25

This would be very helpful library but the react is huge limitation. Please remove react so more people could use it :)

it's open source you could just fork it and make a version without react. I think it sounds a bit entitled to ask for people to remove things like react from their projects.

Re: Boring Avatars – React library to generate custom avatars

#30

Post by Tade0 » Fri, May 28, 2021, 9:35 AM UTC

enlyth wrote: post #24

lcrz wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because they like the syntax? Because it has a nice way of passing properties? Because you can work with pseudo-DOM elements? It's all open source. If you want a vanilla js implementation go ahead.

I find it a bit sad that the most upvoted reaction to someone's cool little project they wanted to share is the classic HN misguided and overused response of 'React BAD'

There's a reason for that. The web is roughly 90% static pages with JS sprinkled on top(usually jQuery), and 10% SPAs made in various frameworks.

https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/javascript_library

React is a small part of the web(in terms of the number of people using it commercially) and thus a library written in React isn't terribly useful for most of the market.